It’s only October, but you should be planning your holiday marketing now for your beauty business. According to The National Retail Federation, beauty and fashion products are among the most desired categories last holiday season and they predict an increase by 3.8 – 4.2% growth over 2018 (source: National Retail Federation ) .
People want to look their best with IPL laser hair removal or skin rejuvenation treatments and want to treat friends and family to the same experience. To really capitalize on the holiday season, having a plan is your first step to winning – no matter if this is your first holiday season or if you’re a seasoned pro.
Why is holiday marketing so important?
The holidays are a busy time for everyone – and especially in the beauty industry – and you can expect customers to look for last minute gift ideas, certificates and appointments. So be prepared.
Did you know that seasonal sales make up 19.4% of the retail industry sales? If this time of year accounts for so much of your annual revenue – we know it’s super important to be prepared and take advantage of this time of year.
Many of us in the beauty industry, from Medi-spas to home salons, often don’t have the time, or the budget, to hire a marketing person/team to execute campaigns year round. So, I’ve gathered some short-hand tips, ideas and strategies to help you make the most of this season.
1. Review
If this isn’t your first holiday season, look back on last year’s results. What were your customers asking for? What specials or promotions did you run and how did they do. Did you host any events or participate in others? Can you identify other areas that were better, or worse, than previous holidays?
2. Research
Did you save any ideas that you noticed last year that you might consider running this time around? Spend some dedicated time looking for new ideas online.
3. Brainstorm
Define a time to sit down and itemize all your ideas. Invite your staff, or if you are a one-person business, invite you family and friends to share their ideas. Together discuss and pick your favourites.
4. Preparation
Take each idea and define how you are going to get that message out to your clients or new customers. e.g.: Service menu changes, social media ads, signage and in-store posters. email campaigns and take-away-post cards. Be realistic of what you can accomplish by scheduling each task.
5. Execution
Track the progress of your scheduled tasks and their results – as they happen. If you are in a team environment, share the results as you get them and cheer your team on.
Remember when I previously said that the holiday season is busy for everyone – that means we can expect to have our clients call in for last minute or rush services. So, lets take advantage of that by introducing an ‘express service’.
Express Services
Create or add to your existing service menu a shortened version of customer favourites – and when giving laser hair removal or skin rejuvenation treatments – that might mean offering faster check-ins, phone consultations for existing clients and digital pre-payments.
Gift Cards
39% of people will purchase something with a gift card they wouldn’t normally buy for themselves. Those are all new customers and the life time value of each customer is approximately between $1000 and $3000 dollars! Be sure your gift cards are prominent in your location and let people know via your marketing efforts.
Bundling
If your business sells a wide variety of products and services, it’s easier to find winning combinations that your clients will love. However, if you focus only on laser hair removal and skin rejuvenation treatments, then consider offering bundles for your client – plus a friend.
Or consider partnering with other businesses that would compliment your services and not be a competitor to you. e.g.: Hair removal plus fitness class, Skin rejuvenation plus a new hair style, etc.
Or consider adding a holiday gift basket with your gift certificates. Lovingly wrapped coloured cellophane and some beauty products plus a gift certificate is a great way to help your customers during the season. They will appreciate the thoughtfulness.
Advertising
Social media and email marketing are fantastic ways to reach your audience. Make your ads are extra engaging by including videos and photos. Pixabay is a great website for free videos (source: Pixabay) and there are many more if you google them.
Now that you’ve put your plan together – be sure to implement it and take advantage of consumers spending habits during this time of year!
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If you want to learn more about the Dermalase IPL - the lowest priced, Health Canada approved IPL Laser Hair Removal and Skin Rejuvenation device manufactured and serviced right here in Canada, including training and certification - just give us a call at 604-788-3413 to book your FREE demonstration.